2 sentenced in Youngstown-NYC heroin connection

One defendant was sentenced to five years and another to three years and 10 months in federal prison in a New York City to Mahoning Valley heroin distribution conspiracy.

The prison time was imposed last week by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Solomon Oliver Jr.

Louis A. Pagan, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin, drew the five-year term, to be followed by four years of supervised release.

Jhosy A. Lopez, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and to interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise, drew the 46-month term, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Pagan and Lopez were among 11 people indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2013 in a ring that brought heroin from New York City to the Youngstown area between November 2012 and November 2013.

The defendants are from Youngstown, Campbell and New York.

During the 15-month investigation, authorities seized about 8.8 pounds of heroin, $200,000 in cash, nine vehicles, 26 guns and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.

Lopez transported the drug from New York to Youngstown and the drug proceeds back to New York, the 79-count indictment says.